Contributed Comments

Comments: Went up the West Ridge today. We got about 1/3 up the ridge from the col before hitting hard rime and blue ice. We only had 1 screw and our pickets wouldn't go up high. I tried chopping a slot for deadmen, but it was all blue ice 1 1/2 inches under the surface rime. I recommend 5 long screws on a running belay and 3 pickets for gear. Also, my straight axe was very difficult to place since there was no proper snow to plunge in. At the moment, a set of technical tools would be nice on this route. ... more >>

Comments: Heads Up! Was just on AMU 2 days ago, the the bowl ripped pretty damn big as soon as we got back down to the base of the climb (after dark). A natural slab broke free, and I could see the slide moving by headlamp 150 yards away.

P.S. There was another climbing party taking the direct line, and they were kicking off a significant amount of ice, so we climbed the right side of the flow for 3 pitches to avoid their debris. It is a little less steep, but it was mostly onion skins and difficult to ... more >>

Comments: Last weekend, we were bombarded by a good amount of debris as we climbed the snow slope to the base of this climb. A chunck of rock slightly smaller than a helmet almost took out my partner before we reached the bottom of the flow. After constant bombardment from the gully above, we decided to turn back and do another climb.

Comments: Sweet climb! There are some old slings and a wire gate at the base of one cluster of trees at the top. We left a new piece of webbing to help encourage the old anchors. Beef up the anchor just a bit and you can top rope it. Descent is to rappel off the anchors over 'Honeymoon Gully.'

Current conditions (1/22/2011): a bit of rotten and hollow ice, hard to protect. Top rope may be the best option, or be just a little bit crazy to lead it.

Comments: Just curious why there is no info on MP about the Eiger other than a handfull of people who snapped a photo from Grindelwald (myself included)? It seems to me that the most notorious face in climbing would have more info posted about it on an online climbing community. It is my dream to climb the north face (via the 1938 route) and I would like to be a mountain guide in Switzerland at some point in my life. These dreams are lofty indeed, but I'll get there eventually. I'm just a little dissapoin... more >>

Comments: No offense, but WI1 is a rating for low angle slabs you don't need ice tools for. The entire place can be summed up as WI2, and when conditions are fat, there is a short 8-10 foot section starting above the main slab that could be considered WI3 if it were much longer. The only downside to this place is that it is climbed so frequently, it's all chopped up. The later in the season you go, the less likely you will find a solid placement that hasn't been picked.

Comments: Colter, I appreciate what you have done in naming the route after your friend. I never fail to feel a churning in my stomach at the news of a fallen climber. Even though the tragedy was beckoned from another cause than climbing, it is no less devastating than a climber killed on route. I am adding Roger's Route to my to-do list not only to offer amends to a fallen comrade, but for the beauty and exposure of an admirable alpine climb as well. RIP.

Comments: It seems like the consensus is to approach the sloper from the right side and sort of hook the bump with the left hand, but I found that way to be an incredible stretch I can barely make. I prefer to start with a pinch in the hueco on the left side and walk my hands across the sloping rail to grab the bloc. The only problem with this beta is the feet suck and it's hard to stay on without a toe hook. If you use this beta, be prepared to dyno to the chicken head from the bloc with low feet.

Comments: I generally used the slopers above the rail more than the underclings. It just felt easier to balance to get my feet to a better stance. At the bolts, I was clinging to one of these said slopers and discovered (after I had anchored in with a sling) a ginormous hold directly above the anchor bolts in the bottom of the rail. Wish I had found that one out beforehand. It would certainly have made things a lot less complicated. Fortunately though, I didn't take a whipper, but it was sure a difficult ... more >>